Over the Hill

I've been over the hill for a long time now but I think today it's official. Now when I need medical care I HAVE to hand over my Medicare card. I feel ancient. I used to hand over Daddio's tattered old card all the time and now it's MY turn.  I should also mention they take a nice big chunk out of your Social Security to pay for the fun of being old. Sigh....

This is Sally doing a great impression of how I am feeling.
The only good thing about me being 65 today is that for most of last year I thought I was already 65. It's almost like I gained a year. Almost. Waaaaah...

Poor No Name Slob

 If you have read or seen Breakfast at Tiffany's you know what I'm talking about. A cat with no name.

The new guy has been with us for a while now. We took him to the vets and got his shots but have yet to find a name for him that sticks.

Unlike our ferals, this kitty is playful so The Mister picked him up some toys. When he first showed up last winter he was wearing a flea collar so we called him Collar Kitty. He was filthy and starving and he never left our deck for months. No one was looking for him. He didn't have a chip. Poor guy. He must have been left behind or dumped.

 He loved his new catnip mice.

He's even made peace with Hoover who used to be his mortal enemy when he was living on the deck all summer. Now they get along fine. Now as for a name...because of his prominent vampire teeth we've tried Hannibal, Louis and Dexter but they just don't fit. Maybe we'll just call him Seven. That's how many of these homeless critters have adopted us now.

I'm not even counting the newest feral who's been showing up for a meal every morning and has been sleeping in one of the heated huts every night. He could be Seven's twin. I guess we'll call this handsome guy Eight. Sigh.....

A Meowy Christmas

 Way back in early fall I bought this stamp set with the intention of making kitty crazy Daughter's Christmas card.

 With all the other things I have had to do I just managed to find the time to get around to it.

 Coloring all those kitties was easy. Trying to figure out what to do with them was not. I wasted a lot of paper trying a lot of ideas that didn't work.

 I knew I wanted the kitties in the card.

 I knew I wanted them to peek through to the front.

Ta da....nailed it. It's really cute and now that I've got it down, easy to do.  Now I am already excited about next year's holiday soap giveaway. This will be a fun and fast card to mass produce. Meow!

Meet the February Soap

I had a lot of fun making the Valentine's Day soap. I made some old favorites like Love Spell.....

 ....and Lavender and Vanilla.

Blushing Orchid is new.....

...and so is Warm and Fuzzy.

 My all time favorite fragrance is Mediterranean Fig and it came out beautifully.  You folks who signed up for February will be getting some lovelies. They all smell heavenly.

Guilty Pleasure

 I feel like a criminal. I just bought all these soft, squishy bed socks.

 I've got about 70 pairs of socks but I just can't bring myself to wear my handknit ones in bed. I actually rarely wear socks in bed but from time to time I get a chill and like to keep a pair of those squishy ones close by in case I need them. My beautiful woollies just don't have the same comfort level.

I should have said I have 70 pairs and counting. I've got a pair on the needles now and I do believe I have at least six pairs that I finished this year that I haven't added to the rotation. I have slowed down my pace though. I usually have at least two pair on the needles at the same time but the new rule is one. Only one. I'll never get through that bin of sock yarn this way but really doesn't matter does it? I'm still gonna buy it. I love sock yarn.

The Old Grind

I've got two bags of pricey Starbucks holiday blend. How did that happen? Well, I'll tell you how. I sent The Mister in to get me a bag and they asked him how he wanted it ground. That took him by surprise. He didn't know what the coffee pot we use was called so he described a metal filter to them and they ground it to those specifications.

When he remembered we have an old fashioned electric percolator type pot he went back in and had another one ground. Is there any difference between the two bags? I can't see any. Now we've got a LOT of coffee to drink. I'm glad he bought the decaf version. I'm up all night as it is.

I also want to thank Sandy M for sending me this rainbow in a box. She really knows her way around a sewing machine. That's a cute little apron and a lined bag along with a stuffy hen pin cushion-all handmade. The Bare for socks is going to be fun and that gingerbread towel reminds me that I have yet to make the first cookie.
Thanks again, Sandy!

Snowmageddon 2018

Nothing kicks your winter holiday blues in the behind better than a little snow.

That monster snowstorm down south was not supposed to come our way but we unexpectedly got a dusting late yesterday afternoon.

It was just enough to make me put the tree up. I even added some tinsel even though I swore last year it would be my last for the messy stuff. It's just not a tree without it. I can still hear my mom telling us not to clump it. She'd lay it out strand by strand and I thought it was glorious. Now let's see if I feel that way in the morning when I have to vacuum.